The invention relates to an insulation body of a plug-in connector having connection elements for electrical connection to a circuit board or multi-wire cable.
An insulation body is inserted into a chamber of a plug-in connector housing that is provided for this purpose. As a rule, insulation bodies include receptacles for contact elements, which the wires of a cable that is to be connected to the plug-in connector are connected to. Alternatively, the contact elements may also be electrically contacted to the conductor tracks of a circuit board.
In data transmission technology, insulation bodies with so-called shielding elements are used. The shielding elements are used to shield at least two wires of the cable to be connected—and/or the associated contact elements—electromagnetically against each other.
DE 102010051954 B3 shows a circular plug-in connector, the contact elements of which penetrate the plug-in connector over its full length, in order to form on the one hand the plug face and on the other hand the connection region of the plug-in connector. The contact elements have to be embedded in the insulation body in such a way that they will not cause crosstalk at high data transmission rates. Such contact elements are frequently implemented with a bend, which makes the above task even more difficult.
It is the object of the invention to propose an insulation body that can be easily manufactured and yet has a good crosstalk behaviour.
In the insulation body, connection elements are provided. The connection elements have a connection region that can be electrically contacted for example by a conductor track of a circuit board.
According to the invention it is provided for the connection elements to be manufactured using MID (molded interconnect device) technology. As a result, there are no limits to the geometrical layout of the connection elements. Moreover, there is no longer a need to insert individual contacts, which in some circumstances are bent, into the insulation body, which reduces the number of components of a plug-in connector and simplifies the assembly thereof.
Advantageously, the connection elements are substantially implemented as conductor tracks. The conductor tracks substantially extend parallel to the lateral surface of the connection body and at least two conductor tracks are oriented in the direction of the central axis of the connection body to different depths. In this case, the conductor tracks continue to extend parallel to each other.
It may also be advantageous to allow the individual conductor tracks to submerge in the radial direction to the central axis of the connection body to different extents. In this case, the conductor tracks would no longer necessarily be oriented parallel to each other.
By means of the above measures, a plug-in connector having very good crosstalk properties can be produced. MID technology allows an altogether very flexible and accurate layout of the conductors to be achieved.
In an advantageous embodiment, the insulation body proposed here is implemented in multiple parts (for example in two parts). Advantageously, the insulation body proposed here consists of a plug body and a connection body. In the plug body, the contact elements are arranged that form the so-called plug face of the plug-in connector. In the connection body, connection elements are provided. The connection elements have a connection region that can be electrically contacted for example by a conductor track of a circuit board.
Preferably, the connection region is then formed as a so-called soldering foot 21a (also referred to as solder pin). However, here too, the SMD (surface mounted device) or pin-in-hole technology may be used. It is also possible to contact the connection region electrically with a wire of a cable to be connected.
In known insulation bodies, the plug body and the connection body are formed together in one component. In the case of the insulation body according to the invention, the plug body and the connection body are separate components. When these components are mated with each other, the contact elements of the plug body are electrically contacted with the connection elements of the connection body.
In order to allow the plug body and the connection body to be latched together, suitable latching means are provided. These latching means preferably allow a reversible connection of the plug body and the connection body.
By virtue of the plug body and the connection body being in two parts it becomes possible to reversibly connect the same plug body with different connection bodies. As a result, a plug-in connector having the same plug face can be conditioned on the one hand for a circuit board connection and on the other hand for a cable connection. The connection body can be optimally adapted to the respective area of use and can be implemented for example in an angled or in a straight manner. As a result of the modularity of the connection region as described above, the plug-in connector can be used in a versatile manner.
It may also be advantageous to design the plug body and the connection body so that they can be irreversibly latched together by means of latching means. This is advantageous in order to avoid multiple plugging and thus an increase of the transition resistance.
Preferably, the contact elements are formed to be elongate and are arranged parallel to each other in the plug body. One end of the contact member is provided in the plug region of the plug-in connector and can be connected to a contact element of a counter-plug and/or a socket. The other end of the contact element forms a contact region, which a connection element of the connection body can be electrically contacted with.
Preferably, the connection element is designed as a conductor track that forms a connection region for the contact elements thereof in the direction of the plug body. In the circuit board or cable connection direction, a connection region for a conductor track of a circuit board and/or a wire of a cable to be connected is located on the conductor track.
Advantageously, the conductor track of the connection member is produced using MID technology. MID technology is sufficiently described in DE 102006041610 B3. As a result, there is no limit to the freedom in designing the conductor tracks. The conductor tracks may be formed in such a way that they are particularly suitable for high frequency data transmission. The end-side connection regions following on from the conductor track (for example, on the one side a connection socket for the contact elements and on the other side the solder feet for the circuit board) may continue to be implemented as a metallic element.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plug body has a shielding element that shields at least two contact elements electromagnetically against each other. As a result, a so-called crosstalk of the signals that are transmitted via the contact elements is prevented.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connection body is also provided with a shielding element that shields at least two connection elements electromagnetically against each other.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the plug body and the connection body each have a shielding element. In the mated condition of the plug body and the connection body, the shielding elements are in electrical contact with each other. Alternatively, the shielding elements overlap in an axial orientation of the insulation body. As a result of the above measures, the signal integrity of the finished plug-in connector is markedly improved.
Advantageously, the above-described shielding elements are produced using MID technology. As a result, the plug body and the connection body may be produced in one piece in a compact and cost-effective manner.